As the life expectancy of the U.S. population continues to increase, the number of active and at risk geriatric trauma patients will continue to grow. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year millions of adults aged 65 and older fall. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death. In 2013, 2.5 million nonfatal falls among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 734,000 of these patients were hospitalized.
Research supports the common sense notion that getting prompt help makes surviving an emergency more likely. The ability to get help also boosts the odds that a senior will continue to live independently. The longer a person had to spend injured and without help, the greater the likelihood he/she will be discharged into supportive care. For elderly people who live alone, becoming incapacitated and unable to get help is a common event, which usually marks the end to their ability to live independently. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, after a fall or other emergency, 90% of seniors who get help within one hour will continue independent living, but after 12 hours without help only 10% of people will continue to live at home. There is a only a 6% to 9% early mortality rate from heart attack for those who survive long enough to reach the hospital. Therefore, getting to the hospital quickly after a fall, heart attack, or other emergencies is the goal.